Living in Abu Dhabi, Pros and Cons

[@ahmedalmanaseer7285]

As an Emirati I am happy you guys like it here. Our home is your home and everyone is welcome! I have lived in Abu Dhabi for 20 years and every year it just gets better.

[@normanocampo4466]

I lived and worked in Abu Dhabi for 20 years, from 2000 to 2020, it's the BEST decision of my life working and living in Abu Dhabi, coming from Doha, Qatar, from 1999 to 2000, as an Aircraft Mechanic working in ETIHAD, I MISSED the Shawarma, Falafel, Chicken Curry, Baklava, and Chicken Tikka, NOW, I am living as an IMMIGRANT here in San Diego, USA. Abu Dhabi will be FOREVER my SECOND HOME, hoping to visit in the FUTURE, Thanks for the video of Abu Dhabi, it brings precious memories of friends and places...Keep Safe, Mate.

[@lilachristo]

I 100% agree with you! Abu Dhabi leaves so many memories for us as well. Glad you feel the same 😃, ans thank you for watching our video ❤️

[@radio_nowhere]

How is SD? IM trying to pick between SD, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.😊

[@lilachristo]

I have only lived in Abu Dhabi and will always encourage anyone to go live there but I can't speak for any other place un fortunately. I think it just depends on your opportunities.

[@normanocampo4466]

@@radio_nowhere SD is GOOD, the weather is always SUNNY, no FROSTY winters, a LOT of sunshine, and food is amazing, I like Mexican, Chinese, and Arabic food which is abundant here, the US Navy is a BIG thing in SD, many Filipinos are in the US Navy, a LEGACY of American Occupying the Philippines, 100 years ago, if you are in Aeronautics, there is so many factories here, and the people of SD is AMAZING.

[@radio_nowhere]

@@normanocampo4466 Thanks so much for that feedback my friend. You seem to be a very positive person so keep that up please! God bless!

[@dennaesmith415]

Thanks for sharing your experience!! I'm headed to Abu Dhabi in August and I love to hear different perspectives about the UAE.

[@lilachristo]

Hey Dannae, that's awesome! It will definitely be an amazing adventure, I'm sure. Good luck and enjoy all the small things 😃🤗

[@VVP14]

Thank you for this. I'm so glad to have come across a video by South Africans. Currently contemplating a move there. Such an emotional decision

[@lilachristo]

Hey! Happy to have made it for you! Good luck with the decision - despite some of the negatives, it was overall a great move for us because it allowed us to follow our dreams, and in South Africa it was a little difficult with alk that's going on. So we would take hot summer days in Abu Dhabi over loadshedding etc 🤣

[@VVP14]

@lilachristo thank you guys! I guess that's just it "following your dreams" and probably listening to your spirit (inner being)

[@lilachristo]

@Veshal we love it! Good luck on your jouney 🤗🥰

[@user-pz6et7bi5w]

Hi. I am new to your channel. Nice info shared. I will be relocating to AD soon. For admission in school for kg1, is it enough to apply using my EID, as it will take 2 more months for family to relocate? Or is it a mandatory pre-requisite to even apply?

[@Tripchanel_87]

Thank you for such useful information you are providing by passing your experience to everybody,🙏

[@lilachristo]

It's our pleasure Salama 🫶🏻

[@savioshajahan4661]

Musaffa is mainly industrial city but living areas are clean and tidy.

[@LessonWorldTV]

This is my happy day 😊!! I love your channel, just subscribed. Zimbabwean 🇿🇼 and fellow content content creator, UK 🇬🇧 based who is passionate about world 🌎 travel. Currently visiting UAE 🇦🇪 and your content got suggested to me ❤️!! I am excited to learn more from you now.

[@lilachristo]

Heyyy!! This is such a nice community to have! Will def look at your channel as well. Enjoy the UAE and let us know how it is. Here is our intagram @lila_christo then we can keep up with yours as well 😃

[@TacieH]

What a spectacular place to stay and its only a dream for me to be there.

[@MohammedAlghamdi-r4s]

Great video Lila. I'm just curious, what did your partner do for living?

[@lilachristo]

Thank you! He's a dental technician

[@savioshajahan4661]

Even golden visa holder are expatriates they also will not get UAE citizenship.

[@YAy-m9g]

Thanks for all the information 👍 Can you make another video about Abu dhabi? For example, how can I transfer my drivers license from the USA to uae ?? Is it easy and online ? And some websites for renting home.

[@2cvTravelling]

Hi. thank you. for sharing your experience. Could you comment how you got the job at a school. my wife is a music teacher and we are interested in looking for a job in one of the international schools.

[@lilachristo]

There are several teaching recruitment companies you could use like TeachAnywhere. But her best bet is to search up the international schools and send their admin her cv and cover letter outlining her skills etc.

[@2cvTravelling]

@@lilachristo So happy to have received your answer, Thanks! Hope you are doing great!

[@Anakdicordillera]

Watching here full video my friend😊

[@lilachristo]

Awesome thank you! 🥰🥰🥰

[@SamMcKinley]

I’m in NYC and I just passed a bank lobby with two guys shooting dope in the middle of downtown at 5am. If it’s not like that UAE gets my vote. (Not saying America or NYC is bad. Just saying)

[@lilachristo]

Aww sorry to hear you had to witness that! UAE got our vote as well. Sooo many positives

[@SamMcKinley]

@@lilachristo Thank You

[@maharajamac]

Most of US is becoming like this. RIP greatest nation

[@YAy-m9g]

I hope you can make more videos about Abu dhabi. Thanks !

[@ashwinipurohit7539]

How about IB schools and Cambridge school? Isn't it 5 days work for teachers of IB school ?

[@lilachristo]

The school I taught at was an IB curriculum as well, and those teachers worked the same hours. 4.5 days.

[@ashwinipurohit7539]

@@lilachristo so 5 days working a week right ?

[@ashwinipurohit7539]

So it's good to be in Abu dhabhi if both the partners are teacher in an IB school. You get alot of time together to spend 😇

[@mkviis]

@@ashwinipurohit7539Monday to Thursday full hours, Friday (4 to 5 hours) hence 4.5 days

[@DefiElvis]

Thanks for the info. 😊

[@jeanrigeyer6158]

What job did your husband do while you were living there ?🥰

[@lilachristo]

He worked as a dental technician in a lab in the city 🤗

[@stephanienel7164]

Hi guys! Please tell me if a salary of 15k - 18k AED will be sufficient and will I be able to save some money each month? I will be working in a medical laboratory. Is the accommodation that you get from the company very low class? I am also from SA. Thank you 😊

[@lilachristo]

Hey hey! It depends if you will get free accommodation. If so, then your expenses should only be taxi fares (or about 600-1200 pm for a decent car), then wifi which is around 420, and groceries. Ours were around 1000pm for 2 people, but this included eating out etc. Our accommodation was pretty good. It was a 1 bedroom apartment, fully furnished and utilities already paid for. So I believe that is something you can expect. But ask the employer for a video tour or your apartment before you sign anything, and make sure it's not a "shared accommodation".

[@exrayZap-ry1gh]

Thank you both for this very useful and very best wishes for a happy continued life journey

[@shahboz2651]

Hello, from Uzbekistan 🇺🇿

[@lilachristo]

Hey hey!!! Thanx for watching our channel! Nice to see you here

[@ninafrench4910]

Hi guys what we’re your hours as a teacher? Also, did you make friends with your colleagues?

[@lilachristo]

Hey! I worked from 7:15 - 15:30 for 3 days a week, and 7:15 - 17:00 once a week, and on Fridays it was 7:15 - 12:00 (due to Friday prayers and religious reasons). And yes there are plenty of expats that work in schools so you get to know so many great people.

[@alvinlama-thecornerstonere4775]

Can you throw some light into a Admin Managers job at Abu Dhabi with salary 14000 AED/month. + Accommodation + car+ other general perks with one month annual leave with flight tickets. What sort of life can I lead and save. I live a very average life. Can you elaborate

[@lilachristo]

I known a lady who worked as a receptionist. At this particular company, she worked very long hours and made just enough for everyday costs. But it might depend on the company you work for. Luckily, the salary is tax-free, so you might get away with saving some money. Sorry if I can't be more helpful 😅

[@ashwinipurohit7539]

Could you please give a little insight about the salary of an IB teacher in Abu dhabi ? It will be helpful.

[@lilachristo]

Please don't take my word as 100% true because I can only speak from experience, but salaries range fron 11000drh to about 16-17000drh (it changes based on your experience)

[@bladerunner6]

question my girlfriend is living in Abu Dhabi for 7 years but apperently she has no work, how can she afford living there with a car and apartment, can you tell me how

[@lilachristo]

Hey! Thank you for reaching out. That's a difficult one to answer as I don't know of anyone who is able to afford living there without a job unless they have family or friends supporting them. 🤗

[@royreyes6824]

Or a pimp

[@criterionrecitations8960]

Does she have a business perhaps to where she doesn't have to work? You should probably communicate with her and figure out and perhaps benefit us, if I may kindly request.

[@Tchibazz-TV]

I just subscribed💃💃Thank you for sharing

[@lilachristo]

Aww thank you for watching 🥰

[@tarny11]

Is June still good to visit and seeing tourist places

[@lilachristo]

Hey! June is the warmest time of the year so your best bet will be the water park (Yas Water World) and the indoor places like Ferrari World, Warner Brothers and the National Aquarium 😀

[@tarny11]

@@lilachristo Thanks . I know that July and August are hotter than June. I like the heat. I want to visit historical places as well. Are taxis cheap to get around.

[@lilachristo]

Aww, yeah, depending on which country you come from. A taxi is 12drh for about 12km, so to get from one end of Abu Dhabi to the other will be about 80-100drh.

[@tarny11]

@@lilachristo Thanks. Thinking 6 nights in June. What about local buses

[@lilachristo]

Busses usually take too long because they need to stop at a lot of stops in between. Sometimes 2 hours to get to a destination that a taxi would have taken 15min. But it's about 8-10drh for a bus ticket.

[@lordcedricsalvador9535]

yeah its true,free housing or have housing allowance and tax free,,,

[@hpopov]

Hi from another Christo!

[@lilachristo]

Hii Christo! Happy to see you here on our channel. Hope you enjoy our videos 🥳

[@vincentfrancis8373]

Mooi ou maat goet om jou te sien.

[@lilachristo]

Hey pella. Dankie dat jy gekyk het ek sien jy is ook die wereld vol. Hoop dit gaan goed. Lekker om van jou te hoor - Christo

[@troyturner6498]

musafa? oof. no thanks. we worked in MBZ, next door to musafa but were transported from the al bateen area of downtown - do you guys work for Emirates National School!!? Thats where i worked...yikes

[@lilachristo]

Hey! Yes exactly. I worked there as well. Are you still in Abu Dhabi? Or have you moved on het to another country

[@troyturner6498]

@@lilachristo weve moved since. ENS is the worst. looking to move back soon but w a project manager job instead of teaching (if i can find one)

[@IrfanKhan-ld9wd]

it sucks 12hr a day and six days a week UAE is brutal for low salary jobs and the accomodation uff f

[@IrfanKhan-ld9wd]

and one thing you guys may never encountered because you are white skins and that is racism mostly the locals from yemen and some other arab countries etc they are very racist But the Original Locals are super fine

[@lilachristo]

Hey Irfan, thanks for sharing this. We have heard about this from someone else as well and It's a sad reality that the world is full of racism and you are 100% correct in saying that we might not see/feel the full extent of it. I hope it didn't affect you too much 🥺❤️

[@IrfanKhan-ld9wd]

@@lilachristo it was nice watching your vlog you guys are amazing good luck

[@lilachristo]

Thank you so much!! We appreciate that you have watched it 😃